Coupler



Sept. 29, 1942. A. P. FOX rAL. 2,297,548

COUPLER Filed Sept. 22, 1941 Patented Sept. 29, 1942 7 v I COUPLERAlexander P. Fox, University City, and Rudy F.

Schneller, St. Louis, Mo.,

assignors to Lincoln Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporationof Missouri Application September 22, 1941, Serial No. 411,842

2 Claims. (01.285-169) be noted the provision of a simple and reliablecoupler for making a fastening between an air or like conduit with afitting; the provision of a coupler of this class which may be appliedand removed with a high degree of facility by natural movements; theprovision of a coupler of the class described in which fluid flow isautomatically cut ofl upon detachment but which is startedautomaticallyupon attachment; the provision of a coupler-of the class described inwhich is a low degree of resistance to fiow after attachment; and theprovision of a coupler of the class described which has very strongholding means, which assures a. secure connection. Other objects will bein part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangement of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of winch will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is iiiustrated one of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. i. is a vertical section of the coupler shown separated from afitting;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. i; I

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. i;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l showing-the coupling duringapplication to the fitting;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing completion of the attachment:and,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-5 of Fig. 5. v

1 reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral viewsoi the drawing.

Although the primary features of the present invention are moreparticularly for new holding means diflerent from the balls indicated insaid prior patent, it is deemed to be desirableto dedescription.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral lthe body of a nipple or fitting F for receiving fluid, which in thiscase is air. This fitting F is threaded at 3 for fastening to anair-receiving compartment 5. The fitting is provided with a groove Iwhich is behind a. shoulder 9. Above the shoulder 9 isa beveled portionll connecting with a cylindric sleeve l3.

Above the fitting F is' shown the coupling C which consists of a guidesleeve l5 threaded onto a hollow body ll. The body H is threaded at l9to provide for attachment to part of the line 2! which is to be coupled.

At the lower end of the guide sleeve 85 is an opening 23 which slidinglyfits the portions l and 9 of the fitting F. Milled horizontally acrossthe sleeve l5 are slots 25 for clutch pins or rollers or cylinders iii.The cylinders H are of a radius to fit the radius of the groove 1 whenmoved laterally inward. The cylinders 21 have reduced or pointed ends,as indicated at d. The reductions are shown in ,the forms of cones butmay also be rounded or the like. i

The cylinders 21! are prevented from moving inwardly from the positionshown in Fig. 1 by a ,the coupling C is disconnected (Fig. 1). The

compression spring 3'1! reacts against a flange v 39 of a fixed guidesleeve H which also is chamfered at its bottom end, as indicated at 33,so that it also may be guided into place over the cylindric portion l3.The upper edge portion 93 of fitting F is rounded at 45 to provide asmooth engagement with 35 and t3.

The sleeve ti is stationary, being held in the body'l'l by the threadedsleeveifi. The flange as holds in position a packing d? which, duringassembly, is lightly compressed endwise, so that it radially hugs theportion it of the fitting F when applied. This forms'a leak-proof seal.

The packing d1 also forms a seat for a rim sea-t d9 of a hexagonal valve5!. The seat 49 is round to form a complete seal when seated, while theupper portion of the valve is made hexagonal to pass air.

Extending from the lower portion of the valve is a pair of extensions 53for contacting the end of the fitting F. These will pass air betweenthem at 55 when the valve is open. The valve is normally held to itsseat on the packing I! by means of a compression spring 51. Thus whenthe coupling 0 is detached, the valve is normally closed by the spring51 and in addition by pressure behind it (Fig. 1).

Around the body I! is a sliding outer sleeve 59, having a guide portionsliding on the lower end of the sleeve I5. This outer sleeve 59 isprovided with an inward shoulder 63 which is chamfered as indicated at65. The chamfered portion 65 and the shoulder 63 function as a cam whichengages the chamfered or pointed end 4 of the cylinder 21, for enforcinginward movement of these'cylinders under appropriate conditions. Thesleeve is movable back into a position where the chamfer 85 is above thecylinders 21. When the cylinders 21 are prevented from moving inwardlyby the sleeve 29, they hold up the sleeve 59 by interlocking action atthe chamfer 65. The

sleeve 59 is biased downward by means of a comtively soft seat of thepacking 41, which may be made of artificial rubber, for example. Thecoupling C at this time is grasped around the outer sleeve 59 (which isknurled) and simply pushed towardthe fitting F. This is a naturalmovement for the purpose.

As shown in Fig. 4, the inner locking sleeve 28 slides down thecylindric portion ll of thefltting F, and its chamfer 3| finallycontacts the beveled '81, and after the parts have attained therelationship shown in Fig. 4, action thereafter is auto-,

matic under bias from spring 61. Thus the sleeve Blmcves from the Fig. 4to the Fig. 5 position without additional manual push. Thisautomatically locks the cylinders 2! into the groove I, so that pressurereaction will not blow apart the coupling and the fitting (Fig. 6).

It will be seen that during the locking action the'parts I and 63function as cams at four points I. on the cylinders 21, that is at thepointed portions 4. Thus there are two pressure points on each cylinder21, which eflect a substantial beam action at the center of eachcylinder where it contacts the fitting F. Stated otherwise, eachcylinder acts as a beani which springs tightly into a tangent holdingposition, as shown in Fig. 6. This'is one of the advantages of thecylinders over the balls shown in the prior patent. While this advantagesacrifices the advantage that accrues to aball in its,ability veryeasily to roll around the groove (for'swivelling), this sacrlfice isdeemed to be desirable. What is more important is to obtain a tight andstrong hold. In thepresentcase,thisholdisenhancedbywedging actionbetween the points 4 and the portions II and 85, which makes each pin21a centrally beam, as can be visualized fromFigs. 5

and 6.

Another advantage of the cylinders over the provides a very desirableoperating feature.

former balls is that the accommodating milled slots 25 are much easierto make than the drilled portions of the former patent. This is becausethese drilled portions included a rather critically positioned shoulder;whereas in the present case inner surfaces 8 of the slots 25 areinherent in forming the slots.

Another advantage of the invention is that for a given, relatively lownumber of gripping points on the fitting, a larger number of contactpoints is aflforded within the sleeve 59. This applies spreading forceevenly within the sleeve. In the case of the balls, in orderto get thesame distribution, four balls would need to be used in the groove 1. Anynumber of balls greater than three used in this way brings about aredundancy of one ball, which quite often results in that ball beinginactive due to inaccuracies of the circular forms of the membersbetween which the balls are located. With the present invention, thefour points of contact between the ends of the rollers within the sleeve59 and the two points of contact between'the central portions of therollers and the groove 1 become automatically adjusted through the beamaction through the rollers. Thus, even with four points of forceapplication to the sleeve, no mechanical redundancy occurs.

During the movement illustrated in Fig. 4, the guide. sleeve 4| alsocomes into position over the cylindric portion l3, and guides thepacking" into sealing position around th end of the litting. At the sametime, e extensions 53 are contacted to open the valv 6| against the biasof the spring 51 and againstthe bias of the pressure of the fluid behindthe valve. Flow through the coupling is therefore released as indicatedby arrows in Fig. 5.

Release is quite easily effected simply by pull.- ing upon the sleeve69. This withdraws the shoulder 63 into the position shown in Fig. 4 torelease the cylinders 21, from the groove 1. Pulling results in liftingthe sleeve I5. This lifts the cylinder clear of the shoulder 9 on thefitting F and they become trapped behind locking sleeve 28. At the sametime, as the packing 41 is withdrawn from the end of the cylindricportion I3, the valve 5i automatically shuts against outflow of fluid.

With the present coupler, the sleeve 5! is simply pressed down with thesame pressure that applied the coupling, and as soon as the lockingsleeve 29 releases the cylinders 21, the spring 61 automatically pushesdown the sleeve 59 with a snap, helping the operators hand to lock inthe cylinders. The snap-action is also a signal that coupling has beencompleted. To conceive more effectively of the advantage in thisrespect, it

the coupler while holding the coupler stationary, without touching thesleeve 59, the actionis to push back the locking sleeve 28 whereupon thespring 61 automatically, without even being touched, moves toward thefitting to push the cylinders 21 into locking position. This fact of theautomatic action of the sleeve 58 in the direction in which it is beingmanually pushed2 will be understood however, that the invention also hasadvantages without the spring 61.

Furthermore, upon pulling the coupler away I I I 2,297,548 21. as thecoupler is withdrawn, the locking sleeve 29 automatically moves intoposition to hold the cylinders 21 where they will hold the sleeve 59 inretracted position until the next application. Furthermore, the sleeve29 prevents the cylinders 21 from falling out into the central opening23.

The member I may be considered to be an extension from the body l1,being permanently threaded thereon.

The simplicity of the construction is apparent from the drawing and itmay be carried out in reliable forms at low cost.

It is to'be understood that the cylinders or pins 21 need not be axiallystraight, and may, for example, be barrel shaped or shaped like anhourglass, these being substantial equivalents for the purpose ofobtaining the endwise camming contact between the points 4 and the parts65 and 63.

From'th above it will be seen that in general the cylinders or rollers21 provide a much more rugged and strong locking means than the swivv 3dependently biased and movable sleeves inside and outside respectively,opposite slots in the cylinder located in a plane normal to the axis ofthe cylinder, rollers having axes respectively in the planes of theslots and movablelaterally and I being oppositely and tangentiallyensageable at their central portions within-said groove, spaced agrooved fitting and having independently biased and moving sleeveesinside and outside respecelling balls heretofore used in said formerapplication.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from th scope of the invention, it is intended that all mattercontained in the abov description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim: f

1. In a coupler having a cylinder for receiving a fitting having agroove, said coupler having intively, opposite slots in the cylinderlocated in a plane normal to the axis 0! the cylinder, rollers havingaxes respectively in the planes or the slots and movable laterally andbeing oppositely and tangentially engageable at their central portionswith said grooves, spaced cam-contacting endson the rollers, andcircular cam means carried within the outer independently movable sleeveengaging the spaced cam-contacting means on each of said rollers toforce them inward when cleared by the inner sleeve, whereby the rollersrest centrally in said groove and are pressed at their cam-contactingends to form the equiva lents of centrally loaded oppositely reactingbeams in their gripp g action upon the fitting.

- ALEXANDER P. FOX.

RUDY F. scrmmm.

